Startupheaven

A Beijing company builds an integrated business and living environment for young entrepreneurs to realize their dream

during daytime, 24-year-old Wang Kun works with heart and soul with his peers in their startup. In the evening, he has a chance to let some steam off by putting on the hat of the host of his apartment building’s film salon. By organizing movie screenings for his neighbors, Wang enjoys a 20 percent discount on his rent and - more importantly - a great opportunity to socialize with other entrepreneurs like himself.

“The residents here are mostly young people. By attending the screenings, we can brainstorm together or share our work resources,” said Wang. “It’s about both leisure and work.”

Located in west Beijing, the apartment building won Wang’s heart with its spacious and comfortable public area - each floor has an 85-square-meter space encompassing a café, a reading room, a film salon, an art corner, a gym and a public kitchen. Outside the building is also a vegetable garden for the residents to enjoy some sunshine and fresh vegetables.

But such heaven is not open to anyone. Residency is limited to college degree holders under 40, according to Wang. This apartment building’s story began when a cooperation agreement was signed between Beijing Vstartup Co., a national technology startup incubator founded in 2013, and Shougang Group, a stateowned steelmaker in Beijing, founded in 1919.

As a startup incubator authorized by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, Vstartup was more ambitious than others. It wanted not only to provide young entrepreneurs with an office space, but also to bring them the cozy feeling of home in the Chinese megalopolis.

Their chance came when the Shougang Group decided to relocate its steel factory from Beijing to